


Eclectic Extras and Erotica: Steam

by TheGreys (alienjpeg)



Series: Eclectic Extras and Erotica [1]
Category: Looming Gaia
Genre: Alcohol, Cunnilingus, Elves, Erotica, F/F, Fantasy, Friendship/Love, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, LGBTQ Female Character, Lesbian Sex, Magic, Nonbinary Character, Other, Temperature Play, Vaginal Fingering, Water Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:35:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29775573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alienjpeg/pseuds/TheGreys
Summary: [Linde/Jeimos] Jeimos has a seemingly insurmountable problem. But as always, Linde refuses to quit on them, and the two find themselves in an interesting situation as they discover solutions together.
Series: Eclectic Extras and Erotica [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2188446
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	Eclectic Extras and Erotica: Steam

**Author's Note:**

> This short takes place during the Looming Gaia story “Lost and Found”. You can read the full main series here: https://archiveofourown.org/series/833844
> 
> Jeimos and Linde’s relationship was cut from the series because it was messing up the pacing and wasn’t super relevant to the main plot. It’s still hinted at from time to time, but the actual story of how they got together didn’t make it. So I just decided to rewrite it and turn it into a piece of erotica, because I can’t really justify it existing otherwise. I really love Jeimos and Linde as characters. Their interactions together are so cute and such a joy for me to write. I hope you enjoy them too!
> 
> For the record…I like to call this ship Icy and Spicy. :P

_AUTUMN, 6006_

“Ms. Fontaine, I’m giving you full authority as captain while I’m gone,” said Evan. Then he took to the skies with Lukas and Isaac, off to fulfill a contract all the way in Greenhearst. He warned Alaine that he’d be gone for many days, and that the crew may try to overstep their boundaries without him.

“Don’t worry, Atty. I’ll keep those hooligans in line,” she assured him. The moment Shadow disappeared into the clouds, she sprinted up to the market and put a keg of Folkvaran beer on Evan’s tab. She wheeled it back to the compound and wailed, “The captain’s gone! Gather ‘round, boys, it’s party time!”

The Freelance Good Guys rejoiced in the dining hall that evening. They shared a feast at the long table while the alcohol flowed freely. Perhaps a bit too freely under Alaine’s watch, for unlike Evan, she never scolded her fellow crewmen for indulging more than they should have. Evan didn’t appreciate sloppy, drunken behavior in his compound. But Alaine had gotten as sloppy-drunk as the rest of them, laughing and dancing on the table until she tumbled down like a ragdoll.

As the night began to wind down, those who hadn’t passed out were regaling eachother with stories of valor and conquest—true or otherwise. “I’m just sayin’, ya can’t call yerself a _maska_ ‘til ya been with a _stira_ from Odens! They’ll put hair on yer chest real quick!” bellowed Glen, knocking back his eighth stein.

Javaan’s drunken voice boomed across the table, “Forget ‘em! They got nothin’ on Morite women! Every time I go down there, the girls can’t stay off me! Guarantee you I got at least ten-dozen bastards in Warud alone!”

“Ya wanna talk about bastards? Head up to North Haze ‘n take a shot fer every kiddo who looks like me! You’ll be flat on yer arse in an hour! They’re easy up north, I’m tellin’ ya!” Glenvar slurred back, and the two roared with laughter.

Linde had been listening to their drivel all evening, and finally she had enough. From the center of the table, she exclaimed, “Will you pigs give it a rest? I’m so sick of your oinking!”

Javaan replied, “Aw, come on! Don’t be so uptight!”

“ _I’m_ not being uptight, _you’re_ being sexist!” she jabbed back, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. A single stein sat before her on the table, still half-full. She hadn’t indulged nearly as much as the others.

Glenvar and Javaan brushed her off with another round of laughter. She furrowed her white brows and snapped, “I mean it! You’re acting like no-class hogs! Especially you, Javaan! Some of the things that came out of your mouth tonight make me ashamed to call you my crewman!”

“That’s not what you said when this mouth was ‘tween your cheeks—and I ain’t talking about your face, snowflake,” Javaan slurred with a big, lazy grin. A round of whoops and laughter passed over their other crewmen at the table. Linde’s ivory cheeks flushed hot-pink. Without hesitation, she whipped the stein of beer at Javaan and then blasted him with a magical burst of frost.

“How dare you!” she shouted. The beer cascaded over Javaan’s head and shoulders, then froze in an instant. Panicked, the centaur scrambled away from the table. He flailed helplessly, coated and silenced with a layer of white frost. He had no choice but to plop himself down in front of the fireplace and wait for it to melt.

“Ain’t that just like womenfolk!” laughed Glenvar. “Gettin’ yer panties in a twist over a whole bunch’a nothin’! Is it that time of the month already?”

Jeimos thrusted a finger towards him and snapped, “Don’t you even start! Ms. Lumina is right, this is kind of talk is hardly appropriate for the dinner table! Captain Atlas would never stand for such foolishness and you know it!”

“Who cares what Atlas thinks? He’s half-way to Greenhearst by now,” said Glenvar. He tipped his head towards Alaine, slumped down and out cold in the corner. “He left Allie in charge and she ain’t said nothin’ about it! Lighten up fer once, will ya? Yer both as frigid as the Red Tundra!”

“Just because our Captain is absent does not mean we should disregard the rules. If you respected him, you would bloody well act like it whether he’s here or not,” Jeimos told him sharply.

With a roll of his eyes, Glenvar tossed up his hands and said, “Ah, there goes Red again, bustin’ everyone’s stones as always! Not my fault ya ain’t been laid since the First Age! Whatever ya got down there, try dustin’ it off once in a while, huh?”

Jeimos’ narrow eyes rounded like coins, brows furrowed above. “I beg your pardon?” they gasped.

“I said what I said!” exclaimed Glenvar. “You were quiet all night ‘til we talked about feckin’, now suddenly yer bitchin’ up a storm! Ya know who does that? Folks who don’t get any arse, that’s who! Admit it, yer an eighty-year-old virgin ‘n yer saltier than the sea itself about it!”

Jeimos was taken aback by his words. “I’ll have you know,” they began loudly, “that I am, in fact, only _seventy-six_ years of age, and I am certainly no virgin! Furthermore, I refuse to take this rubbish from an ignorant, loud-mouthed inebriate such as yourself!” The anger in their voice was quickly overtaken by sadness, and they were in tears by the end of their sentence. They threw their napkin down and shouted, “Good night to you, sir!” before storming towards the door.

The other crewmen made a half-hearted attempt to stop them. They threw out their platitudes, but their words simply hit the back of the door when it slammed shut behind the elf. Linde stood up and whipped her head towards Glenvar.

“Glen! What on Gaia is wrong with you?” she barked.

“With me? I didn’t do nothin’! _Jay’s_ the one who can’t take a joke!” he said.

“Jokes are supposed to make people laugh, not cry! You really hurt their feelings!”

“Well, it’s hard not to! Ya feckin’ elves get so bent outta shape over everything, there’s no tellin’ what’ll set ya off!”

“Ugh! You’re hopeless!” Linde growled, already heading for the door. “I don’t want to hear another word out of you until you’re sober, and then so help me, you better have a big, fat ‘sorry’ lined up!” With that, she exited the dining hall and slammed the door behind her.

It was late in the evening and the sky was starting to get dark. “Jeimos?” Linde called, looking left and right. They spotted the elf a long distance ahead, moving quickly down the dirt path towards their tower. Their long, black coat whipped behind them in the chilly autumn wind. The same wind was threatening to steal Linde’s hat. She pressed it closer to her head as she chased after her crewmate. “Wait!” she called, but driven by emotion, Jeimos continued on their path.

Linde caught up with them just before they touched their doorknob. She caught their wrist and panted, “Jay…Jeimos, please…They didn’t mean to hurt you, okay? They’re idiots who don’t know when the put the bottle down, and they certainly don’t know how to think before they speak. But that’s just their way, it’s not personal or—”

“You don’t have to tell me this, Linde,” interrupted Jeimos. They turned back to her with deep creases of grief in their face, tears streaming down their cheeks. They sniffled on, “I know these things in my head. It’s my heart that refuses to understand! Why, oh why, must I be so bloody _sensitive_? They’re a pack of grizzled, ironblooded mercenaries! I know exactly the kind of crass behavior to expect from them, yet it still brings me to tears every time!”

“Glenvar shouldn’t have said those things. That was just uncalled for,” said Linde.

Gray smoke was beginning to stream from Jeimos’ nostrils. A plume billowed from their mouth when they replied, “Perhaps it was, but that’s how the crew speaks to eachother all the time. If I were anyone else, I would have laughed it off like they all do! But no, I must be a tender little bruise! It isn’t fair, Ms. Lumina! I never asked to be this way! Do you think I’m… _unwell_?”

They winced when they used the word, as if it pained them just to speak it.

Linde’s white brows sagged. “No, Jeimos. There’s nothing wrong with you,” she assured them. “You just gentle-hearted, that’s all. You and I have a lot in common that way. I don’t like to hear that rude nonsense either.”

“At least you don’t burst into tears like a baby,” muttered Jeimos. Their face seemed to be glowing slightly in the shade of the forest, eyes lit up like stars.

Linde reached up to dry their tears with her finger. “Don’t be so hard on yourself—ow!” she yelped and jerked her hand back, clutching the index and second fingers on her right hand.

Jeimos gasped, “Linde, I-I’m so sorry! Are you alright? Ugh, these blasted emotions of mine are out of control!” They turned around and thumped their head on their front door.

Under their flame-resistant clothes of pyriad leather, their flesh was glowing red-hot. Their tears turned to steam and rose off their cheeks, smoke continuing to pour from their mouth with every heavy, frustrated breath.

Linde had known them long enough to recognize they were on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She spoke softly when she assured them, “It’s just a teensy little burn. I’ve done much worse to myself just making breakfast! Please don’t be upset, Jeimos.”

“I’m afraid it’s far too late for that!” the elf cried. They opened their door and added, “Please, let me find you a bandage. It’s the very least I could do after mucking things up the way I have tonight!”

The two stepped into Jeimos’ little stone tower. The first floor had been fashioned into a sitting room with a loveseat against one wall, a bookcase across from it, and a low table between them. Jeimos reached into a jar on the bookcase and pulled out a roll of gauze while Linde hung her hat on a hook.

“Let me see your hand,” said Jeimos, sitting on the loveseat. Linde sat beside them and pointed her first two fingers, both of which were tinged with a pink burn on their tips. Jeimos carefully wrapped strips of gauze around them. Linde waited silently. She only watched as the glow in their skin began to dim, their streams of smoke growing thinner by the second.

Once they finished, Linde said, “You didn’t have to do this, Jeimos. I’ll survive.”

“But I’m sure it’s still quite painful, isn’t it? The bandage will at least take the edge off. My stars, I can’t believe I _burned_ you!” The elf shook their head in dismay.

“You surely didn’t do it on purpose,” said Linde.

“No, of course not! I would never try to hurt you. You’re such a dear friend to me,” Jeimos replied. They sat in silence for a moment, fondling the buttons on their coat. Then, they queried, “I…told you about my pyre dust habit before, didn’t I?”

Linde nodded. “You did. I’m honored that you would share something like that with me. I don’t think everyone would.”

“Yes, well, there were details I didn’t have the courage to mention at the time,” Jeimos admitted sheepishly. “That junk left my entire body in a _state_ , let me tell you. But most troublesome, it cursed me with pyromancy that I can’t seem to control. You should have seen me during those first few years after detox—I was bursting into flame like paper to a match! It would happen without warning, no matter where I was or what I was doing! Oh, it was nightmarish!”

They closed their eyes tightly and shook their head, as if to shake out the memory, and continued, “That improved considerably with time, thank the stars. But now every time my emotions run hot, so too does my body. I fear I may be stuck this way forever, Linde. Two decades on and it hasn’t changed a bit! Whether I laugh or cry or feel anything too strongly, the flames inside me come to life, and I swear there is no cooling them unless I manage to calm myself down.”

Linde frowned. She could see a subtle glow returning to the elf’s eyes, faint streams of smoke puffing from their mouth as they went on, “I suppose Glenvar only upset me tonight because…well, because he’s _right_. How can a cursed thing like me ever be intimate with anyone? You couldn’t even dry my tears without burning yourself! Imagine what happens when someone hugs or kisses me? Or stars forbid, they share a bed with me! The dust is so very cruel! If only I knew, I never would have touched that horrid shite in the first place!”

“Oh, Jay…I had no idea,” Linde murmured, reaching out to touch their shoulder. They jerked away out of reflex, protecting her from their heat. Linde hesitated, then cautiously touched them anyway. Their pyriad leather coat spared her another burn, but she could still feel a dull warmth radiating beneath.

She rubbed their shoulder and said softly, “This must be so painful for you. I can’t even imagine! It can’t possibly be forever though, can it? With all the spells and potions on Gaia, I’m sure there’s some way to break your curse.”

“If there was, Damijani medical science would have discovered it by now,” muttered Jeimos. “They have a name for people like me, you know. They call us ‘crystal fiends’. We’re feared and loathed all over Evik, and rightfully so. Both the Damijani and the Zareenites have decided it’s easier to bury us than to lift our curse.”

Linde furrowed her brows. “Then they’re fools,” she said. “Even a simple Zhoulchan like me knows there’s a solution out there, it just hasn’t been found yet. You can’t be expected to live your whole life without love!”

Slumping down in their seat, Jeimos lamented, “Who would have me anyway? My curse is certainly disruptive, but it’s still no excuse for my awkwardness, my ugliness, or my terrible nerves! I can’t fool myself, I was a wreck before I even touched the dust.”

“I must be blind, because I don’t see any of those things!” said Linde, brows arching high. “Jeimos is my friend, and you know I don’t let anyone bad-mouth my friends, so quit that right now! They’re a lovely, kind, and beautiful person. I couldn’t say it if it wasn’t true.” She offered a smile, tapping her chest where her fae heart rested.

Jeimos turned to her with a sad, strained smile. “Thank you, Ms. Lumina. I don’t know what I ever did to deserve a wonderful friend like you,” they said. “You’ve always been so kind and accepting of me, since the very first day we met. Most people…they don’t know what to make of me, I suppose. I’m so used to the stares, the invasive questions and rude remarks, perhaps my standards are just in the dirt. But you’ve never once judged or questioned me. You even supported me through my foolishness back in Umory-Ond!”

They sighed, “I should have enough gold saved for my procedure within the next three years, perhaps four. Maybe if I can learn to love myself, being alone won’t feel so bad anymore.”

“Lots of people love you, you know. I mean, romantic love isn’t the only kind of love out there,” mentioned Linde.

“I’m quite aware, and I hope I don’t sound ungrateful! It’s just that I…Well, this may surprise you, but I _like_ romance. I adore it, in fact! Just the idea of sharing that kind of intimacy with someone sends my heart all aflutter! I try not to think about it only because I know it’s something I shall never have. I don’t even indulge in romance novels anymore. The Captain always tells me to stop wringing my hands over things I can’t control.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m just not convinced this is hopeless. There has to be a workaround for folks like you, I just know there is,” said Linde. She cradled her chin in her hand, staring hard at the air before her. She had an idea, but dare she speak it?

“You never give up, do you?” queried Jeimos.

Linde glanced at them and shrugged. “Not on you. Never,” she said.

A smile crossed the elf’s face. They were touched. They had something to say, but dare they say it?

Perhaps they wouldn’t have to, for Linde spoke first. She said, “We’ve worked with eachother for a while now, haven’t we?”

“A little over two years, I believe,” said Jeimos.

Linde’s eyes widened. “Two? You’re joking! Is that all? It feels like I’ve known you for a decade, at least!”

“We may as well have,” replied Jeimos. “Mercenary-years are much longer than blue-collar years. I find that once you’ve faced death with someone a few times, it brings you much closer than sitting next to them in an office.”

After a pause, they added, “That trip to Umory-Ond really did mean a lot to me, Linde. You are…you made me feel so, er…” They floundered, gesturing vaguely. The feelings were there, but for all their cleverness, Jeimos couldn’t figure out how to express them in words.

Linde waited, wearing a little grin. “I’m just trying to say,” Jeimos continued, “that you’re quite a special person and I…I care for you a lot. That’s all.” A cloud of gray smoke burst from their mouth, eyes glowing bright. Their hands were trembling with anxiety.

Linde’s grin was just as coy as her tone when she replied, “Jay…you have a little crush on me, don’t you?”

Jeimos’ jaw fell slack, smoke pouring out. They quickly snapped it shut and slapped a hand over their mouth. The denial teased at their tongue, but they could not speak it. They couldn’t say anything, so they simply looked away in embarrassment.

Linde giggled, high and bright, “I knew it! I could sense it from worlds away!”

“Oh no, please don’t laugh at me! That isn’t nice!” groaned Jeimos, burying their face in their hands.

“I’m not laughing at you, Jeimos,” Linde told them gleefully. “I’m laughing because I’m happy! Wouldn’t you be so flattered if someone had a crush on _you_?”

“I really couldn’t tell you. I’ve never experienced such a thing, after all,” said Jeimos, a hint of bitterness creeping into their tone.

Combing her anxious fingers through her ponytail, Linde admitted, “Are you sure about that? Because, um…I have a little crush on you too.”

“What?” Jeimos blurted, whipping their round eyes her way.

“Okay, maybe not so little,” said Linde. She twirled her long hair around her finger. “To be perfectly honest, I’ve had a thing for you since we fought that nasty divine in Serkel. You were so brave, and you commanded your spells like a master! I mean, you didn’t look half bad in that armor either.” She winked, then hid her face with a giggle. “I’m so sorry! Ugh, I must have drank too much tonight!”

Jeimos stared down at her, bewildered. “You truly feel that way about me? _Me_ , of all people?” they asked.

“Yes!” she said. “I’m only surprised it took you so long to realize it! Maybe I’m just bad at flirting.”

“Or more likely, I’m dense as a brick,” suggested Jeimos. “I’m sorry, Linde. I had no idea! I never suspected you’d be interested in a freakish thing like me. I thought you were only into hes, not shes or theys.”

“So did I,” admitted Linde.

“Er, you do realize that I’m not exactly _masculine_ under these clothes, don’t you? People have been fooled by my height and my ugly face before, but—”

“You’re not ugly! Stop saying that,” Linde snapped. “And trust me, I always knew you weren’t a he because you were never stupid and crass like a he. I’ve been with a lot of men in my time, and to be honest, I’m starting to get real sick of them! Tonight just reminded me why.”

Jeimos asked carefully, “Forgive me, but were you and Javaan really…?”

“Together? Yes, unfortunately…” the elfenne sighed. “What a mistake that was! I was young and dumb back then, I didn’t know a womanizer when I saw one. He couldn’t keep his hands off other girls for a minute! I swore off him years ago. He’ll always be my friend, but he’ll never be anyone’s husband if he doesn’t grow up.”

“I see. I’m sorry he gave you so much grief,” mumbled Jeimos.

Linde shrugged. “Eh, live and learn. One door closes and another opens, right?” She flashed a smile, big and bright. Her pink eyes glittered in the shadows of the dark room. Jeimos glanced at the window. The sun was almost gone, the forest outside cast in its red glow.

“It’s getting rather late,” they said. “Would you…I mean, only if you want…and don’t feel obligated, but…” They swiped at their neck, cringing at every awkward word that crawled out of their throat. “Would you like to stay the night? N-not that I’m trying to—I mean, w-we don’t have to do anything in _particular_ , I just thought, perhaps, um…it would be nice to spend more time together? I do so enjoy your company, Ms. Lumina. I always have.”

“I would love to,” Linde told them, reaching out to touched their gloved hand. She could still feel their heat beneath the pyriad silk fabric. She could also feel the tremble in their fingers and the dampness of the sweat soaking into their glove. Jeimos was nervous. They were _always_ nervous, but now especially so.

“Jeimos, I…” Linde hesitated, combing at her hair again. “I think I know a way to work around your curse. But it’s a bit, um, _bold_ , and I don’t want to make you more anxious than you already are.”

Jeimos tilted their head, intrigued. “You never make me anxious. Please, what is it?” they asked.

“Well,” the elfenne began, “you run hot, but I run cold. So what if we…?” She turned her open hands as if making an invisible snowball. She felt sillier by the second. Dropping her hands, she sighed, “Oh my god, I can’t believe what I’m saying! You must think I’m such an idiot. Just forget I said anything.”

“No, no, I think no such thing!” Jeimos assured her, scooting closer. “You’re saying you could…counter my heat with your floemancy, is that right?”

“Exactly, but only if you wanted to! I’m so sorry. I promise, I’m not trying to make this more awkward than it already is! W-whatever we do, it doesn’t have to _mean_ anything. I just thought, you know, it might be a worthwhile experiment. You love science and I love helping, so…” She shook her head and muttered, “Damn those Folkvarans and their beer…”

Jeimos fell quiet, thinking it over for a long moment. Every second of their silence was agonizing to Linde. Why had she opened her mouth? She probably came off like one of those low-class, easy women their crewmen were blabbering about earlier, she thought.

But if she was easy, then so too was Jeimos, for the elf turned back to her and decided, “I think that’s a fine idea, and there is no one I would trust more than you. I’m only afraid that I’ll burn you again. I would just be beside myself if I hurt you! How would we explain such a thing to Dr. Che anyway?”

Linde smiled wide, heart hammering in her chest. “We won’t have to explain anything, because I’m not going to let that curse touch me,” she said, wiggling her magical fingers. “I can hold a light frost ward for about twenty minutes. That should be plenty of time.”

Jeimos glanced at the little round clock ticking away on the wall. “Only if you’re certain,” they said.

“I’ve never been more certain about anything,” Linde told them, planting herself closer. “I don’t want to hurt you either, so if you want to stop, just say so. You don’t even need a reason, okay? I promise I won’t be mad.”

Jeimos took in a deep breath, letting it out slow. “Okay,” they sighed. They shook their hands, as if trying to shake the tremors out, and realigned their shoulders. Linde crawled over them, straddling their lap. She pulled the bandages off her fingers with her teeth and spit them onto the floor.

“Just relax,” she said softly, and reached up to touch their face.

Jeimos closed their lips tightly, holding their breath to stop the smoke rising from their nostrils. Still they could not stop their traitorous nerves, and their hands continued to tremble at their sides. Linde caressed their face in her cool, glowing hands. Her frosty touch was refreshing upon Jeimos’ overheated skin, and everywhere she touched left a glistening streak of moisture behind.

A shallow wrinkle carved itself in Linde’s brow. She tried to focus all her concentration on her magic, but that seemed such a tall order as she straddled the elf she’d been pining over for so long. She touched their brow, slowly dragging her fingertips down the sides of their face, past their jaw, and down their neck. Jeimos closed their eyes and relished in it.

“It’s been so long…” they nearly cried.

“Since what?” queried Linde.

They opened their eyes and said, “Since I’ve been touched. By anyone, anywhere at all! I-I’m not burning you, am I?”

Shaking her head, Linde told them, “No, not through my frost. You just feel really warm. It’s kind of nice, actually!” Wafts of steam rose from Linde’s hands every time they made contact with Jeimos’ flesh. Their skin was glowing like a hollowed gourd with a candle inside, subtle and pulsing with the beat of their heart. They closed their eyes again. Linde cupped the sides of their face and leaned in closer.

She planted a chaste kiss upon their lips. Those lips curled into a big smile, exposing white teeth between them. Linde smiled too and moved in for another. The second wasn’t so chaste. Jeimos felt her nibble their bottom lip, her cool tongue running along the edge of their teeth. She suddenly locked lips with them, pushing into a deep, passionate kiss. Jeimos’ eyes rounded wide. They didn’t get a chance to warn her before she found out the hard way—and she suddenly drew back with a series of ragged coughs.

A puff of smoke left her with each cough. She fanned it away, gasping for breath. “I’m so sorry! I-I should have warned you, I—” Jeimos began, but she dismissed them with a little wave and said,

“Totally my fault, I didn’t even think of that!” She placed her hands back on the elf’s face, pink eyes flicking up and down as if hunting for something. “It’s okay. I see plenty of other places to kiss,” she said wryly, and pressed her lips to their brow.

She planted kisses down the right side of their face. Jeimos squeaked with delight when she reached their ear, dragging her tongue from lobe to pointed tip. She stroked their curly, short hair, still growing out from their mishap in Umory-Ond a few months ago. Jeimos kept their hands to their sides, afraid to touch her back. Linde’s clothes weren’t made of heat-resistant materials like theirs were. Everything Linde wore, she hand-tailored herself, and Jeimos feared ruining her hard work with their cursed touch.

The best they could do was lean to the side and kiss her neck. Linde giggled, tightly grasping the front of their black coat. Jeimos nibbled her soft flesh, pulling away only briefly to ask, “Are you sure I’m not hurting you?”

“I’m fine, really! Please don’t stop!” the elfenne pleaded. Jeimos obeyed and romanced her below the ear. As they did, Linde fumbled with the buttons on their coat, pulling the front open to reveal their burgundy shirt underneath.

She slid her hands up and down Jeimos’ long torso. She could feel the subtle outline of their brassiere, and the wrinkles of perhaps another shirt beneath. Did they really need so many layers? It was a bit chilly this time of year, she supposed, though the cold never meant much to her.

“Linde, I—I don’t want to ruin your lovely clothes,” Jeimos told her between fervent kisses.

Linde looked down at her short, blue dress. She was wearing a hand-made bolero top, thigh-high stockings, and expensive leather boots, none of which she wanted to ruin either. “Well, let’s get rid of them then,” she said, shooting the elf a grin as she shrugged off her top.

Her dress came next, up and over her head, and joined her top on the floor. Her boots fell onto the wood with two heavy clunks, and her stockings drifted over them silently. She was left in an unremarkable cotton brassiere and underwear. She looked down at her undergarments with dismay and sighed, “Oh, that figures. The day I strip down for my crush, and I happen to be wearing my ugliest, rattiest underwear!”

Jeimos laughed, “As if I would ever judge you for such a silly thing! I wouldn’t have looked twice if you didn’t mention them. You’re… _enchanting_ , Linde! Stars, what a gorgeous body you have!” They found themselves enamored by her flesh, as smooth and white as marble. Their eyes wandered over the gentle swell of her breasts, down to the curve of her slender hips. She could have been carved by Gaia’s finest masters, they thought, and what a delicate piece they had made!

“Aww, you’re sweet,” said Linde. Her cheeks plumped with her smile, suddenly tinged pink. Jeimos reached up to touch her, but their hands froze, hovering over her shoulders.

“Er, may I?” they asked. Linde nodded, and they carefully tugged the straps of her brassiere down her shoulders. The cups fell away, exposing pale nipples beneath.

Jeimos glanced up, meeting her eyes. With her smile she gave them permission, and they ran their palms down her body, from her throat, over her breasts, down her belly and to her hips where they rested, leaving steam and beads of moisture in their wake. The elfenne’s body glittered like snow, and she was just as cold to the touch.

Jeimos was mesmerized. They wrapped their arms around her and pulled her close, hungrily romancing her neck at the base of her shoulder. Linde let out a shriek and giggled into their coat. She felt the elf’s long fingers slip beneath her underwear, groping her backside. She found herself grinding her pelvis against their thigh. She hardly realized she was doing it until Jeimos tugged at her panties, coaxing her to rise.

She did, swiftly pulling her last garment off and carelessly tossing it across the room. “Your turn,” she said, reaching for their coat. Jeimos quickly seized her wrists.

“Um, w-wait,” they croaked. “This might sound silly and…perhaps even unreasonable, but…do you mind if I keep my clothes…on? At least, as much as possible?”

Linde cocked her head. The request was indeed strange, but she knew better than to question it. “Of course. Whatever you’re comfortable with,” she said.

“Thank you. I…don’t like my body very much,” Jeimos mumbled, shifting awkwardly in their seat. Linde wrapped her arms around their neck and kissed their cheek.

“One day you will,” she told them. Jeimos wanted so badly to rake their fingers through her long, lovely hair, but what would their heat do to it? Probably turn it into a frizzled bird’s nest like their own, they decided, and thought better of it. Instead, they grabbed her backside and coaxed her into a back and forth rhythm.

She grinded herself against their leg again, laughing breathily, “And you were worried about ruining _my_ clothes…”

“You’ve ruined nothing,” said Jeimos, then they pulled off their right glove with their teeth. They briefly sucked upon their two middle fingers, slicking them with saliva. They didn’t need to ask. Linde took their wrist and guided their hand between her legs.

Her lips parted slightly, each frosty breath leaving her in a cloud of white steam. Gray smoke puffed from Jeimos’ nostrils all the while. “Jay, that feels so good…” she gasped.

“May I?” they asked, barely getting the words out before she cried,

“Yes!”

Jeimos pushed one finger forward and it disappeared inside her. Linde rested her forearms on their shoulders as she rocked her hips against their hand, and before long, she had taken both fingers with ease. Jeimos cupped one of her breasts and flicked their tongue at her nipple, standing erect in the wake of her frosty spell.

They grunted in surprise when she grasped the back of their head, pushing them closer to her body. The pace of her hips quickened below, and she whimpered, “More, deeper, more…!”

Jeimos didn’t quite understand what she wanted, and their mouth was far too occupied to ask. They simply thrusted their fingers faster, deeper, up to their glistening knuckles. Linde spell made her cool inside, like the waters of Drifter’s Lake on a crisp morning. They mouthed hungrily at her breast, switching from one to the other.

Jeimos’ flames were burning hotter. Linde gnashed her teeth, exerting more magic to counter them. A wave of cold pulsed over her flesh, bringing forth a burst of steam. She was wet, glistening, hair dripping with the condensation their magic had made together. She tossed her head back, whimpering sweet nothings until she caught sight of the clock. It was still ticking away, and ten minutes had already passed.

She grabbed Jeimos’ wrist again, stopping them mid-thrust. “T-that’s enough,” she panted. She planted a kiss on their lips, then gradually focused her attention lower. This so-called “experiment” wasn’t about her. It wouldn’t be fair for her to exhaust her spell and leave Jeimos high and dry, she thought.

She lowered herself to her knees as she fumbled with the elf’s belt. The two sides parted and so too did their unbuttoned pants. Curling her fingers around their waistband, Linde shot a questioning look up at them before she proceeded. Jeimos simply nodded, forcing an anxious smile.

Linde shimmied their pants down just as far as they needed to go. Whatever happened down there, Jeimos didn’t care to see it, so they closed their eyes and leaned their head against the back of the loveseat. They felt wet, probing fingers and jumped at the delicate sweep of a tongue. Their teeth sank into their bottom lip, muffling the wanton sound that fought to come out.

Their chest rose high and caved deep with every breath. They tossed their head to one side, then the other, biting their knuckles to silence themselves. After a moment, Linde glanced up at them and admitted, “I’ve, um…never done this before. Should I stop?”

“Goodness, no!” Jeimos told her breathlessly. “That feels _sublime_! Please, continue!”

Linde flashed a smile before it disappeared between their thighs. She approached them with more confidence than before, making her friend squirm with each bold stroke of her tongue. Much like their flames, Jeimos’ moans outgrew their control.

Long, desperate fingers reached up for something—anything—to grab. They grabbed the back of the loveseat, clawing at the upholstery, and gasped for air between their whimpers. Their flesh burned even hotter against Linde’s mouth, nearly burning her tongue until she exerted more magic to counter it. She heard the subtle hiss of steam, felt it rising up into her nostrils, making her white lashes flutter above.

“Oh…Oh, Linde…That’s so lovely…!” Jeimos whined, filling the elfenne’s heart with pride. But among their whimpers, she heard another curious sound, almost like snapping twigs. She opened her eyes and glanced up. She furrowed her brow, trying to figure out what she was seeing, then withdrew with a gasp when she realized the back of the loveseat was on fire. Jeimos was too lost in the throes of their pleasure to notice a small flame crackling away beside them, upon the fabric their hand rested just a moment ago.

“Jay! F-fire!” she cried. Jeimos jumped upright, looking this way and that. They noticed the fire and yelped, but before they could act, Linde blasted it with a beam of frost. It was extinguished in an instant.

“Did I really just set my own bloody couch on fire? _Seriously_?” bellowed Jeimos. The outrage was written all over their expression, but it didn’t last long before disappointment and grief took its place. Their anger sagged away and they dropped their head into their hands, groaning, “Oh no, it’s hopeless! Damn and blast it all, I should have known!”

They let out a gruff, long-suffering sigh as they buttoned their pants. “Thank you for trying, Linde. I’m sorry I almost burned my tower down with you in it…”

“Wait,” said Linde, swiping her dress off the floor, “this is only a setback! We can find another way! We can move to the…the, uh…”

Her eyes drifted around the room. She saw wooden floorboards, a wooden table, a thatched rug, and an upholstered chair—all very flammable. She knew Jeimos also had a bed on the top floor, but that was no better…

Jeimos looked at her doubtfully. Finally, her eyes rounded and she gasped, “I know! Just give me some water and about an hour to rest, and I promise I’ll blow your mind before the night is through!”

*

The boarding house was quiet this time of night. Still, Linde and Jeimos proceeded with caution, peeking through the doorway before sneaking down the long hall. They tip-toed past doors on either side, those which led to tiny rooms their fellow crewmen called “home”. They were probably asleep or at least winding down for the night. The two didn’t want to draw attention to themselves as they slipped into the washroom at the end of the hallway.

In this room was a shelf of toiletries and a big, porcelain tub resting on a stone floor. A thatch curtain was drawn over the single window. Linde beckoned Jeimos over to the tub, then turned the valve on the faucet jutting out of the wall. It led to a tank outside, full of rainwater.

As the tub filled, Linde began to disrobe. She neatly folded her clothes and placed them on the shelf. Jeimos stood awkwardly nearby, scrubbing at their sleeve. “Er, I’m sorry, but I still don’t feel very comfortable without my clothes…” they mentioned.

“That’s okay,” said Linde. She stood nude before them and swept a hand towards the tub. “Just take off your shoes and climb in! A little water won’t hurt them.”

Jeimos did so, setting their boots aside and stepping into the water. Linde climbed in across from them and turned the valve off. The cool water lapped at their chests. “Are you quite sure about this, Linde?” Jeimos asked one final time. “Like I said, I tried this once before and the poor chap was nearly boiled alive…”

“Yeah, but he wasn’t a floemancer like me,” said Linde. “Between the two of us, the water will be just right. Now, where were we?” She grinned and straddled the elf again, locking them in a kiss. Jeimos held their breath and drank it in, exhaling a lungful of smoke when they parted. They were starting to get the hang of this. Maybe they could make it work after all…

Linde caressed the back of their head with one hand, the other straying somewhere below the water. Where was it going? Jeimos found out when they felt slender fingers teasing at their thighs. They let out an uncouth snort and giggled, “Please, I’m ticklish!”

Linde ceased her teasing and pressed their bodies closer. She rubbed her fingers up and down in long, sensual strokes, and not a few seconds passed before the bathwater began to simmer. She cast magic of her own to cool it, sending a pulse of frost rippling across the surface. The edges of the tub briefly turned white, then the crystals melted as soon as they appeared.

They became a tangle of limbs splashing about in the tub, giggling and whimpering, trying desperately to stifle their noise, for their crewmen lie just a few thin walls away. Linde pressed her fingers against a spot that made Jeimos gasp entirely too loud. She rubbed the spot with vigor, sending little waves over the tub’s edge. Jeimos’ eyes rolled back in their head. They slapped a hand over their traitorous mouth and braced themselves, gripping the slippery porcelain with all their might.

The water was trying to boil, but Linde wouldn’t let it. She closed her eyes tight and grunted with exertion, sending out another powerful frost spell. Steam was rising from the tub, nearly opaque in its density. It fogged up the window behind the curtain and made everything glisten with moisture. Linde’s white body was nearly lost in the fog. All Jeimos could see was her eyes, piercing through the mist like two gleaming gems as she stared back at them.

Her playful hands sent Jeimos over the edge. The elf’s entire body quaked, their hands slipped off the porcelain, and then they collapsed into the water with a splash. Linde squinted, losing sight of them through the steam. “Jay? Oh, gosh, are you okay?” she queried. She reached into the water, feeling around for them. Then she gasped with surprise as she felt their long fingers wrap around her backside.

Jeimos held her in place and buried their face between her thighs. Linde’s squeak pierced the air before she bit her tongue to silence herself. She turned towards the door. Someone must have heard, as heavy footsteps were coming down the hall. She cringed and braced herself, a million excuses racing through her head.

Someone pounded on the door. Balthazaar’s voice called from the other side, “Come on, hurry it up in there! My wife won’t let me come to bed ‘til I wash!”

Linde hesitated. Then she called back, “Go wash in the river then! I-I’m busy!” She fought to keep her voice steady as Jeimos’ tongue worked her over. She could hardly keep herself propped up on her quivering arms. She held her breath until she heard Balthazaar grumble something, then his footsteps faded away.

Jeimos suddenly breached the water, gasping for air. “Sorry about that,” sighed Linde.

Jeimos shot her a puzzled look. “About what?” they asked.

Linde stared at them, then realized they hadn’t heard a word of her mood-destroying exchange with Balthazaar from below the water. “Nevermind,” she said. “Whatever you’re doing down there feels _incredible_ , by the way…”

A big, sheepish smile spread across Jeimos’ face. They sucked in a deep breath and promptly dived back in for more. Linde squirmed and whimpered and writhed until all the strength left her limbs at once. She slumped bonelessly over the edge of the tub, struggling for air in the steam-choked room.

Jeimos popped up again shortly after. They swiped the water off their face and maneuvered next to Linde, gently massaging her back. “Are you satisfied, my friend?” they asked.

The elfenne replied slowly, dreamily, “Mmm, very much…I didn’t think you had it in you, Jay…”

“Neither did I,” admitted Jeimos, blinking in surprise. “We…we actually did it. I-I can’t believe we managed to pull that off! And no one got boiled! Linde, you were absolutely right!”

“Of course I was, silly,” she replied, turning over to face them. “I said I’d find a way, didn’t I?”

“I don’t deserve you at all. You simply amaze me!”

“Oh, stop…” Linde blushed and splashed a little water at them.

“Well, I did certainly enjoy our night together. We should make a habit of this!” Jeimos told her, brushing a lock of wet hair out of her face. Their smile suddenly faded as a realization sank in.

They leaned back and sighed, “I mean…if that’s okay. I know damn well it won’t be okay with the captain! Fooling around with our fellow crewmen is strictly against the rules…”

Linde rolled her eyes and said, “Oh, whatever! As if Evan and Lukas don’t have some _thing_ going on—everyone knows it, it’s plain as day! Those two are like an old, married couple. He’d be such a hypocrite if he got after us.”

“Don’t underestimate the man,” muttered Jeimos.

“Look,” began Linde, “if you’re really worried about it, then we can keep this just between us. What we do in the bedroom—er, in the washroom—is nobody’s business anyway.”

“Do you think that’s feasible? Can we really keep this a secret?”

“We can try.”

Jeimos let out a big, long sigh. After a moment, they decided, “Very well. Now the question remains: how do we get out of here without incriminating ourselves?”

The two sat there, silent in thought as the steam slowly dissipated. Linde stood up and opened the little window above the tub. Brisk, fresh air rushed in while the steam rushed out, and Linde said, “Ta-da! I’m on a roll today!”

The two climbed out of the tub. Linde pulled her clothes back on while Jeimos cast their flames, drying their own in seconds. They shared a passionate kiss and then parted ways, Jeimos climbing out the window while Linde left through the door.

She tensed up as she walked by Balthazaar in the middle of the hall. He leaned there with his arms crossed, tapping his foot impatiently. He must have been there the whole time! She regarded him with nothing more than a silent glance, but he wasn’t letting her get away that easily.

“What took you so long?” he asked. She stopped and whirled around to face him.

“I was washing! What else would I be doing in the washroom?” she snapped.

Balthazaar furrowed his bushy brows at her and said, “I don’t know. I swore I heard someone else in there with you…”

Linde’s face would have drained of color then, if it wasn’t already white as a sheet. Luckily she was still on a roll, and her quick wit saw her through once again. “Oh, one of the guys was just messing around outside the window,” she said, waving a dismissive hand. “Thankfully they’re gone now, because I’m about to go to bed. Goodnight, Ballyhoo.”

She was still bound by her fae truths, and nothing she said was a lie. She couldn’t break the truth, but she could still choose her words, twisting and omitting whatever was convenient. Her answer seemed to satisfy Balthazaar, and he politely tipped his head at her. “Pleasant dreams, Lin.”

The elfenne disappeared into her tiny room. There she changed into her nightgown and curled up on her bedroll, but she was much too giddy to sleep. All she could think about was the elf she loved and their burning flames of passion.

What the crew didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them, right?

**END**

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please leave a kudos if you enjoyed, and of course feedback is always appreciated. If you found any mistakes please let me know.
> 
> These two are so cute together I can’t stand it. I love tol nervous elf and smol feisty elf lmao.


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